<-- Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are questions – and the answers to the questions – that we are often asked.

Trains and tickets 

	At what time will trains begin operating and at what time will the final train terminate?
	How frequent will train services be?
	How long will it take to travel from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff?
	How do you purchase tickets?
	How much will tickets cost?
	Will fares vary with the time of day?
	Will you be able to purchase season tickets?
	Who will operate the train services?
	From where can timetable information be obtained?
	What interconnecting services are available from Cardiff

Stations

	How many stations are there?
	What facilities are there at the stations?
	What measures have been put in place to protect vulnerable travellers and discourage antisocial behaviour?
	What links (e.g. bus, cycle, pedestrian) will there be from station to town centres/housing developments?
	Will the stations be accessible by wheelchair and for people with walking difficulties?

Track

	Who will operate the railway?
	Who are the contractors?
	Where is funding coming from?
	How many miles of track will be put into use?
	What mitigation measures are being used to reduce noise impact near the line?
	Will the scheme provide any environmental improvements?
	How was the public been consulted on the scheme’s proposals?
	What compensation procedures are in place for affected parties?

At what time will trains begin operating and at what time will the final train terminate?

The timetable is available from the Arriva Trains Wales website

How frequent will train services be?

There will be one train an hour leaving Cardiff Central and one train an hour leaving Ebbw Vale Parkway. The timetable is available from the Arriva Trains Wales website

How long will it take to travel from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff?

The journey from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff will take approximately 55 minutes.

How do you purchase tickets?

Tickets can be purchased on the train and from Cardiff Central station when the ticket office is open. You will also be able to purchase tickets on the internet.

How much will tickets cost?  

Fares for the Ebbw Valley Line will be based on the Arriva Trains Wales zonal system.

Standard return tickets from Ebbw Vale Parkway, Llanhilleth and Newbridge to Cardiff will cost £6.00 and weekly tickets for these journeys £22.80. An off peak cheap day return ticket (arriving in Cardiff after 9.30am) will cost £5.10.

Standard return tickets from Crosskeys, Risca & Pontymister and Rogerstone will cost £4.90, and weekly tickets £17.80. A cheap day return will cost £4.

These fares are calculated using Arriva Trains Wales' area-wide zonal system. They were revised as part of Arriva Trains Wales’ annual review in January.

Fares to Cardiff Central

Will fares vary with the time of day?

Yes. Standard day return fares apply to all tickets bought up until 9.30am. Cheap day returns are available after this.

Will you be able to purchase season tickets?

Yes. It will be possible to purchase season tickets in line with the current provision on other Arriva Trains Wales’ services. 

Who will operate the train services?

Services will be operated by Arriva Trains Wales as part of their existing franchise agreement.  Arriva Trains Wales will be responsible for the everyday maintenance and cleaning of the stations and trains, along with the staffing and running of trains.

From where can timetable information be obtained?

Timetable information is now available on the Arriva Trains Wales website.  

Timetable - Arriva Trains Wales Website (external link)

Timetable information will also be available at the station on poster boards and via the real time scrolling information screen. Train times will also be listed through national rail enquiries telephone and internet facilities and Traveline. Pocket timetables will be available from Cardiff stations and may be distributed to local residents near the opening time.

What interconnecting services are available from Cardiff?

Ebbw Valley services will initially run to Cardiff Central Station. Cardiff has train links to various parts of Britain including Rhoose (for Cardiff International Airport), Birmingham, London, Manchester, Swansea and Crewe. It will also be possible to connect with the local and national bus services operating from Cardiff.

How many stations are there?

There are six new stations along the route: Ebbw Vale Parkway, Llanhilleth, Newbridge, Crosskeys, Risca & Pontymister and Rogerstone. These stations cover a large catchment area and offer good accessibility; they also offer good interchange opportunities with local bus services. This combination also provides the strongest business case in support of the railway line. There are also engineering reasons that make these locations the most suitable for stations, these include the track gradient and curvature.

What facilities are there at the stations?

The stations have facilities comprising of general car parking (with the exception of Crosskeys which has disabled parking only), cycle lockers, a pick up/set down area, platform shelter with integral seating, poster boards, real time scrolling passenger information screens, lighting, a help point and CCTV coverage of both platform and car park. The stations will be unmanned halts.

What measures have been put in place to protect vulnerable travellers and discourage antisocial behaviour?

All platforms and car parks have CCTV and the platforms are equipped with a two-way help point linked to the Arriva CCTV control centre. CCTV will be of a standard to support prosecution of any person caught behaving illegally. Lighting has been designed to be as uniform as possible to limit areas of shadow where an attacker may hide. The stations have been designed to make use of natural surveillance wherever possible. Local police and British Transport Police will cooperate to regulate the area.

What links (e.g. bus, cycle, pedestrian) will there be from the new stations to town centres/housing developments?

There are dedicated feeder buses to link Ebbw Vale Parkway with Ebbw Vale town centre, from Llanhilleth Station to Abertillery centre and from Rogerstone to Newport. The stations have been located so that existing bus services, footpaths and any cycle paths are easily accessible. National Cycle Network Route 47 crosses the line and runs south, parallel to the railway, from near Crosskeys Station. Cwmcarn Forest Drive, which has an off-road cycle route, is also accessible.

Will the stations be accessible by wheelchair and for people with walking difficulties?

Every effort has been made to make the stations accessible to all people and to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), within the constraints of the sites. Ebbw Vale Parkway, Llanhilleth, Newbridge and Rogerstone are all single platform stations and therefore trains to Cardiff and Ebbw Vale will stop on the same side of the track making walking distances relatively short. Where there are two platforms (Risca & Pontymister and Crosskeys) services will arrive at one platform and depart from the other - access is largely via existing highway. Ramps (6m long, gradient of 1:20) and alternative steps provide direct access to all of the platforms. Dedicated disabled parking spaces are provided at all of the stations and the information points on the platforms provide audible information about train arrivals and departures. Visual information is also provided for those people with hearing difficulties.

Who will operate the railway?

Network Rail is the operator of Britain's rail infrastructure. The railway track itself will effectively be owned and maintained by Network Rail. 

Who are the contractors?

The construction was split into two contracts: Contract 1 covered the permanent way (track), signalling and structures and Contract 2 the stations. Amey was awarded both contracts.

Where is funding coming from?

There is £7.5m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Objective 1 funding and £7m from the Corus Steelworks Regeneration Fund, the remainder of the funding is being provided by Welsh Assembly Government Transport Grant.

How many miles of track will be put into use?

18 miles of freight railway track between Ebbw Vale and the South Wales Mainline have been upgraded for passenger services. The line includes three route miles of double track.

What mitigation measures are being used to reduce noise impact near the line?

The line was previously operational and as a result of the valley location much of the line is below the level of adjacent housing, with the embankment providing a natural noise barrier. The passenger trains should be significantly quieter than the heavy, slow freight trains that used to use the line.

Will the scheme provide any environmental improvements?

The train services itself will provide a more environmentally sustainable alternative to the car which will generate less pollution per passenger mile and remove car journeys from the roads in the valley. All of the stations are being built on brownfield sites and many will provide visual improvements to the local area. A significant amount of Japanese Knotweed (an invasive plant) has also been cleared from the station sites.

How was the public consulted on the scheme’s proposals?

A public consultation was held in January 2003 to provide an overview of the scheme and station specific information – 9 venues were visited over a two-week period. Residents of Risca & Pontymister were additionally consulted in October 2004 on the possibility of a subway at this station and residents near Ebbw Vale Parkway were invited to an additional exhibition in March 2005 due to an improvement in the design at this site. The station locations are all detailed in the relevant policies of the Unitary Development Plans (UDPs). The public had the opportunity to view and comment on the policy document and accompanying plan during the consultation process for the UDP. The planning application process offered a further opportunity to comment on all of the station proposals. Plans for Newbridge Station were also displayed as part of an exhibition organised by the Newbridge Partnership in March 2006.

What compensation procedures are in place for affected parties?

There is no specific compensation scheme in place for the Ebbw Valley Railway project. However, if you feel you have a relevant claim we suggest you seek independent professional advice first.

Guidance on what constitutes a relevant claim are contained in the Welsh Assembly Government’s information leaflet series ‘Land Compensation Your Rights Explained’. In particular Booklet 2: Your Home and Nuisance from Public Development, which outlines your rights as a householder and eligibility to claim compensation.

This publication is available free of charge by writing to: Welsh Assembly Government, Transport Directorate, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ. It can also be accessed via the Welsh Assembly’s web site at http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/transport/roads/landmanagement/?lang=en

All claims, including those within Blaenau Gwent County Borough, Caerphilly County Borough and Newport City together with any development on Network Rail property associated with the scheme, should be submitted to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, who is the lead authority for the project, at the following address: